WITH fire danger period upon us, Colac Otway Shire Council is urging landowners to act quickly and clean up their properties to prepare for summer.<\/p>\n
Tristan Crews, the council\u2019s Fire Awareness Officer, said the fire danger period was official as of Monday November 19.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce the Fire Danger Period begins, anyone wanting to burn off on their property needs a permit from council or CFA,\u201d Mr Crews said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCouncil will start its annual fire prevention inspection program this week to assess potential fire hazards on properties within the shire.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome properties have already been inspected and issued Fire Prevention Notices where there is potential threat or where compliance has been an issue in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Crews is encouraging property owners to contact council if they are unsure about the latest rules and regulations that are in place to maintain fire safety in the area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fire inspection program will continue through to the end of the declared fire danger period in May next year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cProperty clean-up is primarily about reducing hazards and the risks of potential loss of life and property.<\/p>\n
\u201cReducing fuels such as grass, twigs, leaves and bark on properties ensures that if a fire does break out, it has less chance of taking hold on either your property or that of your neighbours.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing fire ready is everyone\u2019s responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n
Properties that aren\u2019t fire ready will receive a fire prevention notice issued by council.<\/p>\n
The notice details how to manage and control risks on the property, however, failure to comply can result in fines of up to $1,612.<\/p>\n
\u201cFailure to act on a notice can result in an infringement, which is set by the state government, plus clean-up fees and costs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d much rather work with landowners than issue fines, so if anyone needs advice about cleaning up their property, we encourage them to contact council\u2019s compliance unit on 5232 9400.\u201d<\/p>\n
More information on being fire ready is available at colacotway.vic.gov.au\/My-property\/Fire-andemergencies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WITH fire danger period upon us, Colac Otway Shire Council is urging landowners to act quickly and clean up their properties to prepare for summer. Tristan Crews, the council\u2019s Fire Awareness Officer, said the fire danger period was official as of Monday November 19. \u201cOnce the Fire Danger Period begins, anyone wanting to burn off […]<\/p>\n